The latest to join a long line of proud and not-so-proud attempts of American networks to adapt a British TV show to cross-Atlantic audiences has occurred, and is in fact Irish.

Chris O’Dowd’s Moone Boy concept is one that has earned two seasons broadcast so far on satellite broadcaster Sky1, and a third currently in production, and now has attracted the attention of American network ABC.

The broadcaster, according to The Hollywood Reporter, have made a ‘put-pilot commitment’ on the Emmy Award-winning live-action comedy (with animated segments), which is inspired by its creator’s life growing up in the small rural town of Boyle (Ireland) in the 80s and 90s. On-screen, the semi-biographical focus is on 12-year-old boy “Martin Moone” (David Rawle) who has an imaginary friend called “Seán Murphy” (O’Dowd), who is able to offer him a unique perspective and support in his life as an outcast.

For the American adaptation, O’Dowd (The IT Crowd) is to script write and executive produce the single-camera pilot, but likely to not have an on-screen presence, leading to questions as to just how ‘Irish’ or ’80s’ the show will be if taken on.

Going from a Sky1 Little Crackers Christmas short in 2010 to full series in 2012, and now an American major network pilot in the space of less than 4 years, will Moone Boy be able to take its next step up, or will the imagination of O’Dowd have a ceiling? For a taster of whether or not you might like the format, the original show broadcasts on PBS in America and on-demand on Hulu, and preview clips on YouTube such as the one below:

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[…] received such an opportunity, maybe it’s because one of the stars of the original format is currently attempting something similar, or perhaps just that they wanted this particular format to have another chance, but The IT Crowd, […]